Downtown Montreal at Marie-Reine-du-Monde Cathedral with a fresh coat of snow on March 22nd in spring time! Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour. (Photography: Jean-Pierre Lavoie, all rights reserved)

This winter was quite an interesting one regarding the snow that fell over the city of Montreal. But in all fairness, nothing feels more magical and overwhelming than the pure white snow laying over landmark architectural buildings in the silent city at night. Add to this the gorgeous winter scenery of the city, lights dancing in strange ways on buildings, dim light of stars and you’ve hit a major wow factor on my photographic scale. Needless to say, I was more than happy recently to get out with my photo gear to hit the streets of Old Montreal and other downtown sites just after some of these epic snowfalls.

Even if the snow banks on the side of the streets make it a bit harder to drive and park (!) I find night time to be ideal for city architectural photography. The human species tends to prefer to focus on the positive, rather than the negative. Hence, you need a fair amount of will to brave the cold night. However the rewards of getting out there are in these little things like less people on the streets in your camera viewfinder and closed stores making it easier to get your city shots. You almost have the city for yourself with the fresh snow and city lights to paint with and that is awesome!

But of course all goods things must come to an end and now is the time for real spring, no snow, grass and flowers to come. But you can rest assure that I will be expecting to get out there on the streets next winter late at night just when everybody prepare to go to sleep in their warm beds to chase the spirit and beauties of the great city of Montreal.

Marie-Reine-du-Monde seen from the corner of René-Lévesque and Mansfield streets. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

This is a panorama of Montreal City Hall and the Château Ramezay on the left. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours chapel and the outdoor surroundings of Old Montreal at night under the snow and stars. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

Marché Bonsecours and colorful street lights in Old Montreal on St-Paul street. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

Candidate face on a post. Provincial elections will be held here in Quebec on April 7th in a few weeks. This is a panorama I made in downtown Montreal on the corner of St-Laurent and Notre-Dame streets. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

Here is a panorama I shot of Ubisoft development building in Montreal which is the world’s most important video game development studio with 2400 employees. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.

This panorama was shot on St-Laurent street ouside the Monument National where the french television show “Deux hommes en or” is recorded. Click on the photo for the interactive virtual tour.